• PMID: 25118303
• Gene Name: LMNA
• Condition: Mouse spermiogenesis
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Mouse spermiogenesis

Lamin A/C proteins in the spermatid acroplaxome are essential in mouse spermiogenesis

Shen J, Chen W, Shao B, Qi Y, Xia Z, Wang F, Wang L, Guo X, Huang X, Sha J.

Spermiogenesis is a complex process of terminal differentiation that is necessary to produce mature sperm. Using protein expression profiles of mouse and human testes generated from our previous studies, we chose to examine the actions of lamin A/C in the current investigation. Lamin A and lamin C are isoforms of the A-type lamins that are encoded by the LMNA gene. Our results showed that lamin A/C was expressed in the mouse testis throughout the different stages of spermatogenesis and in mature sperm. Lamin A/C was also expressed in mouse haploid germ cells and was found to be localized to the acroplaxome in spermiogenesis, from round spermatids until mature spermatozoa. The decreased expression of lamin A/C following injections of siRNA against Lmna caused a significant increase in caudal sperm head abnormalities when compared with negative controls. These abnormalities were characterized by increased fragmentation of the acrosome and abnormal vesicles, which failed to fuse to the developing acrosome. This fragmentation also caused significant alterations in nuclear elongation and acrosome formation. Furthermore, we found that lamin A/C interacted with the microtubule plus-end-tracking protein CLIP170. These results suggest that lamin A/C is critical for proper structural and functional development of the sperm acrosome and head shape. CI - © 2014 Society for Reproduction and Fertility. FAU - Shen, Jian AU - Shen J AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China. FAU - Chen, Wen AU - Chen W AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China. FAU - Shao, Binbin AU - Shao B AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China. FAU - Qi, Yujuan AU - Qi Y AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China. FAU - Xia, Zhengrong AU - Xia Z AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China. FAU - Wang, Fuqiang AU - Wang F AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China. FAU - Wang, Lei AU - Wang L AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China. FAU - Guo, Xuejiang AU - Guo X AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China guo_xuejiang@njmu.edu.cn bbhxy@njmu.edu.cn. FAU - Huang, Xiaoyan AU - Huang X AD - State Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, 140 Hanzhong Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210029, People's Republic of China guo_xuejiang@njmu.edu.cn bbhxy@njmu.edu.cn.